An APT investigation of an amorphous Cr-B-C thin film
Journal article, 2015

A magnetron sputtered amorphous Cr-B-C thin film was investigated by means of atom probe tomography (APT). The film is constituted of two phases; a Cr-rich phase present as a few nanometer large regions embedded in a Cr-poor phase (tissue phase). The Cr-rich regions form columnar chains oriented parallel to the growth direction of the film. It was found that the Cr-rich regions have a higher B:C ratio than the Cr-poor regions. The composition of the phases was determined as approximately 35Cr-33B-30C and 15Cr-40B-42C (at%), respectively. The results suggest that this type of nanocomposite films has a more complex structure than previously anticipated, which may have an importance for the mechanical and electrical properties.

Thin film

Nanocomposite

Boride

Carbon

Metall carbo-boride

Atom probe tomography

Cr-B-C

Author

Torben Boll

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Materials Microstructure

Mattias Thuvander

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Materials Microstructure

Sabrina Koch

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Materials Microstructure

J. N. Wagner

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

N. Nedfors

Uppsala University

U. Jansson

Uppsala University

Krystyna Marta Stiller

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Materials Microstructure

Ultramicroscopy

0304-3991 (ISSN) 1879-2723 (eISSN)

Vol. 159 217-222

Areas of Advance

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Subject Categories

Physical Sciences

DOI

10.1016/j.ultramic.2015.01.001

More information

Latest update

3/19/2021